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Rents shoot up in South of England

The cost of renting has risen in the South of England outside London, research from Homlet shows.

Rents have risen by 10% to £942 in the South West, by 7.7% in the East of England to £983, and by 6.1% in the South East to £1,085.

The cost of renting has fallen by 4.5% in London to £1,556, signalling people moving out of the city.

Andy Halstead, chief executive of HomeLet, said: “At a national level the latest data shows a continuation of the trends we’ve seen emerging since the national lockdown ended, with rents for new tenancies increasing across the UK, with the exception of London.”

“In the regions surrounding London, the annualised variations in rental values for new tenancies looks significant, especially in the South West (10%), East of England (7.7%) and South East (6.1%). In reality this is a theme that we’ve seen grow gradually month on month, since July 2020.

“In the South West average rents are now £83 per month higher than the same time last year. The upward pressure on the regions around the capital, particularly commuter towns, is coming from a broad range of tenants looking for more space, both inside and outside the property.

“The trends we’ve seen in the past 12 months highlight the responsiveness of the private rented sector, and the crucial role it plays in supporting the changing needs of a significant proportion of households in the UK.”

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